The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-03
PARIS scHooLBoy PROFESSIONS.
An Attcmpt on the Part of Parisian
a.. ;,Jofo tho Government,

An Attompt on the Part of Parisian
Bows to Intiraidntc the Government.
There is no English equivalent for mo-
nome. This French word means IN alge-
braical expression containing no sign plus
or minus. But it also means in school
bows and students slang a procession
through the streets in single file, got up
in yindication Of their dignity and rights,
which have been ignored and trampled
upon by their masters during the term
The cadets of the Ecole Polytecinique
have monome at Christmas, when they
walk up and down the principal thorough
fares to let off the overflowing spirits OF
youth ut being released from the stern
military discipline Of that establishment.
Their behavior is always most orderly,
and their monome is now recognized rs
time honored tradition. Some of the large
Paris schools have initiated the Ecole
Polytechnique, but in q less becoming
spirit In their case the manifestation is
as rule organized bya few old boys upon
whom time hangs heavily, who have moth
ing to fear for themselves and who care
not If their juniors get into scrapcs.
The day before the school breaks up 1T
is usual for the master to send notice
round the classes warning the boys
against taking part In any Christmas pro-
cession under heavy penalties. But his
words arc lost on the mischieyous char
acters who arrange to meet their seniors,
the rin9leaders, at some place of call di-
rectly the gates are thrown open. The
boys, yelling and whooping, form into ln-
dian file, and shape their course in zigzag
through the most crowded thoroughfares,
winding like q seq monster from pave
ment to pavement so us to utterly OBJ
struct traffic The file is sometimes broken
by the police, but after IN interval re-
slrnes the march. Meanwhile, ushers
have been following them taking down the
names of the agitators. The punishment
at French schools for laZiness or bad be-
hayior is O cruel one, and must be in
furious to the health. It is two to eight
hours detention on Sunday, to be en-
ployed in writing off so many hundreds OF
lines by way of an imposition. This pun
ishment Is also incurred for not earning
certain average Of marks. It effectually
puts out any spark of intelligence left in
boy, or else makes desperate of him.
The other day gang Of such madcaps,
about 200 strong, went in monomc to
the ministry of public instruction, shout
ing, 'Shame to Goblet! Shame to Berthe
lotl' on the way. 1t appears that the new
minister had been expected to give them
q few extra days. holiday on the occasion
of his coming into power, and the school
boys, disappointed, inasmuch as the New
Years holiday is of five days only, sought
to frightcn M. Berthclot into granting q
longer one. AS nobody, however, ap-
peared at the windows Of the government
office the party went Off to rather low
cafe ct Montmartrc. There they had O
merry drinking bout and spent their last
coppers. Several speakers hurled defiance
In impromptu speeches at M. Berthelot,
head masters and ushers, but before long
the listeners, struck VITA qualms of con-
science, or possibly afraid of the conse-
quences Of their escapade, dispersed quietly
and went to their holnes.-Paris Cor.
London News.